Carth returned to find Lera sitting on the sofa, staring out of the window. None of the interior lights were on. The landing lights on the outside of the space station stained the room blue and white and red. She looked up at him as he entered, but said nothing.

He sat on the low table in front of her, staring at the floor. He was dreading her reaction to his news – dreading most of all that she would not react. 'I'm leaving in twenty-four hours. They've given me six hours to sleep and pack my things, then I'll be needed to assemble the Fleet.'

She sat forward, her face so close to his that he could feel her breath on his cheeks. 'It's all anyone is talking about on the station. I've heard the rumours. I…' Her voice broke into a sob and she fell forward into his waiting arms. He held her gently while she cried into his shoulder.

'Why now?' were the first coherent words she could manage.

'Why not now? I guess the universe doesn't bother much about bad timing.' But his light tone masked his feelings – his second thought(after considering the military implications for the Republic Fleet), had been to wonder why this had to happen while they were not on good terms.

'I'm sorry I hurt your feelings before,' she said. 'Everything just came out wrong. I'm not the same person I was, that much was true. I don't know what it is that I want any more, but you have to understand that I still love you.'

'I know. I love you too, and I always will, no matter what you decide you want. Even if…' he took a deep breath but it didn't make forming the words any easier. 'Even if that doesn't involve me.'

She nodded. 'Then I suppose we'd better make the most of what time we've got left.'

They made love with a fever born of desperation and grief, their pent up emotions almost violent in their release, inflicting pleasure like pain. Afterwards, once the lights were out and they were both supposed to be trying to sleep, Lera lay facing away from him letting tears slide down her cheeks. She thought he was asleep until he slid an arm around her waist, rolling her over to face him.

'Will you promise me something?' he asked. 'Be here when I get back. Don't walk out on us while my back is turned. At least say goodbye properly this time.'

She winced. All the old wrongs they had long forgiven were dragged out and used as ammunition when they argued, but this one hurt her more than any other.

'I…' she opened her mouth to say she would, but she wasn't sure she could keep such a promise. 'I'll try.'

'That's the best I'll get, I guess,' he said sadly, turning onto his back, staring at the ceiling in the dark.

'I'll just have to have all my adventures while you're away,' she said. 'Maybe I'll stow away somewhere on your fleet. You'd never know.'

He pulled her on top of him. She squeaked in surprise and pleasure. 'Don't, beautiful. Don't even joke about it. I want to know that you're safe here.'

She kissed him tenderly. 'I'll stay safe if you will.'

'It's a deal.'

He only realised later, once it was far too late, that she had not promised him anything.

XXX

Dodonna stood in Dock Control, watching the Fleet preparing for the jump to hyperspace. Two wings, fully two thirds of the available ships and personnel on Narula, were heading to the Benaar system. Led jointly by Admiral Onasi and Admiral Dolvenna, the task force was a fearsome fleet, easily enough to put a halt to the rebellion taking place.

Official reports from Republic Intelligence stated that a political coup had taken place, that the Planetary Defence Force had put one of their generals in power and ceded from the Republic. Before they were hunted down, the governing party had sent out distress calls. Ordinarily, if a system wished to leave the Republic they would be allowed to, but not when it went against the wishes of the people. Reports from the system indicated that this was definitely the wishes of the few over the many.

Dodonna was vaguely aware of Lera Lain standing near her. The woman had an absent expression on her face. Her gaze was focussed on the distant Fleet. Dodonna wondered how different the scene looked to a Force-user. Could Lera pick out the Sojourn and Carth Onasi at this distance? Was that the reason for her absent stare?

Behind Lera stood Shelya Dolvenna. The girl was dressed up as though going to a formal dance and Dodonna looked away before the younger woman noticed her scowl at her inappropriate attire. Though stunningly beautiful, Shelya was disdainful and arrogant, much like her father. Dodonna had noticed she was cowed by displays of authority, but was saving this particular card until she needed it. Now that the girl's controlling father was going lightyears away, that time probably wasn't too far away.

An ensign at a desk beside her said 'They are ready to depart, Ma'am. All ships report status in the green.'

'Thank you. Task Force Omega, this is Fleet Admiral Dodonna. You are cleared to jump to hyperspace. Good hunting.'

The fleet flickered and disappeared. Dodonna let her shoulders relax and breathed out. Now the waiting game began. She turned around to usher Lera and Shelya out of Dock Control.

Shelya smiled at Dodonna, but though her mouth curved prettily the smile didn't reach her eyes. 'Don't worry. With my father in command, and Admiral Onasi helping out, they'll be back in a matter of days.'

Dodonna didn't feel like explaining the finer points of a joint command to the deluded girl. She would only hear what she wanted not matter what she was told. She tried to shoot a warning glance at Lera so that she didn't say anything contradictory, but the woman wasn't looking. She was staring down at the floor. All the blood had drained from her cheeks, leaving them ghostly white.

'Lera?'

'Forn,' she breathed. She looked up, and Dodonna took a step back when she saw the fear in the Lera's eyes. 'I think… I think… Oh.' Her eyes rolled up in her head and she crumpled to the floor.

Dodonna was at her side in an instant, kneeling on the hard floor. After a few tense moments Lera's eyes flickered open.

'Lera? Talk to me!'

'I don't think I got enough sleep,' she whispered. 'I should go home.'

'You should. Shelya! Help her to her quarters.' She put a little of her commanding tone in her voice and was relieved when the girl moved to help Lera to her feet. It was a risky strategy, but there were no Fleet personnel to spare.

'Of course, Admiral.'

XXX

Lera sat down heavily and tried not to think. In a second, the universe had changed for her. The Force had shown her that nothing would be the same as it had been from this point onwards. For better or worse, she didn't know yet.

Behind her she could hear Shelya's heels clattering on the kitchen floor as the girl prepared drinks.

'Here you go.' A mug clanked down heavily on the table in front of her. Hot caffa slopped out over the side, but Lera barely noticed.

Shelya sat down beside her. 'You're Dustil Onasi's mother, aren't you?'

Lera shook her head. 'No. His mother died a long time ago.'

'But you are Admiral Onasi's wife.'

'No, we're not married.'

'Ohhh.' It was a very telling syllable, full of contempt. Lera almost told her to leave there and then. She didn't need to be spoken down to by this snotty upstart debutante. The girl carried on blithely. 'Dustil had a thing for me, you know.'

'Really.' Lera said flatly, trying to will her to leave without actually being rude.

'Yes, but he wasn't for me. I mean, he might be the son of an Admiral, but he's only a pilot. It just wouldn't be right.'

'I expect your father climbed the ranks too. Nobody is born an Admiral,' Lera found herself inwardly reciting the Jedi code for the first time in years. There is no emotion, there is peace. No emotion! Stop it!

'Oh, what do you know? You're… what, a nurse? You take orders from the medical droids. The only reason you live in this kind of luxury is because you screw an Admiral…' Her tirade dried up as she saw the anger blazing in Lera's eyes.

'Please, continue,' said the older woman, barely restraining herself from shouting. Her voice trembled with the strain of sounding reasonable. 'Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.'

'I suppose you feel you can be rude to me, now that your meal ticket's out of the way and my father isn't here to keep you in line.'

Lera scowled. 'It's considered rude in polite society to insult someone when you are a guest in their home.' But, she reminded herself, striking out in anger is worse than rude. So stop thinking about how good it would feel!

'What do you know about polite society?'

Lera opened her mouth to snap back, but the girl was already walking for the door.

'It's making me feel dirty even breathing the same air as you. Goodbye.'

The door hissed closed behind her. Two mugs of steaming hot caffa shattered against it moments later.

XXX

Two weeks after the task force left, a single fighter limped home.